No Offaly candidate elected as fifth count underway

With the fifth count underway here in Birr, no candidate has yet been elected, although Carol Nolan is now just a mere 200 votes shy of the quota, and should get over the line at the end of this count.

Cllr Tony McCormack, who is currently lying in 4th place with 6,619 votes, should be the biggest beneficiary on this count with the elimination of his party running mate, Claire Murray, and the distribution of her 3,422 votes.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin are still running neck and neck for that final Offaly seat in Dail Éireann, with just 136 votes separating them. Aoife Masterson is slightly ahead with 7,235 votes compared to 7,099 for John Clendennen, so too close for anyone to call at this stage.

With five candidates still left in the race for three seats here, the votes cast in the North Offaly area of Edenderry look very likely to determine the destination of that last Dail seat.

Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick was one of four candidates from the Edenderry area to contest the general election, and is currently the only one left in the race. His elimination and the distribution of his votes will either make or break the hearts of Fine Gael or Sinn Féin.